Method of sintering fine ores and similar materials.



J. G. WEST, JR. METHOD OF SINTERING FINE ORES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.4,1912.

1,031,153. Patented July 2, 1912.

WITNESSES g INVENTOB citizen of the United provide a novel method materials by the use of specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1 912.

1 Application filed January 4, 1912. Serial 1:... 589,474.

Toaltwlaomrit I Be it known that I, James G. WnsnJ-n, a States, residlng at Wilkinsburg, in the countyflof Azllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Sintering Fine Ores and: Similar Materials, of which the following. isa specification. I

y invention relates to the agglomeration of finely divided materials such as iron ores, flue-dust, mill scale, slag and similar granular or finely divided solids, in which a quantity of-such materials is sintered or burned into anintegral mass by the application of heat. One object of my invention is to provide a novel method of sintering such finely divided solids whereby the particles of the materials are softene by the ap lication of heat and are fused or are partly fused or welded together and caused to adhere and form an integral-mass or clinker.

Another object of the invention is to provide. an improved method of sintering ores and. finely divided materials generally having novel means whereby successively added quantities of the materials are caused to fuse or partly fuse and adhere in forming and building up a substantial mass of sue material.

A further object of this invention is to ofsintering such mass of the materials is gradually built up and is then broken into pieces of suitable size for charging. into a blast furnace or other metallurgical furnace.

Referring to the accompanying. drawings forming part of this speclfication, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing a furnace as constructed and arranged for use in carrying out the steps proved method. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same on the line IIII of Fi 1. p

n the drawings, a reverberatory furnace 2 is shown having a series of burners 3 arranged at intervals along the sides thereof. A series of passages 4 in one side'thereof communicate with the stack 5. A vertically extendin opening 6 is formed in approximately t e lengthwise and transverse center of theroof 7 of the furnace, for a purpose described later.

The bottom of the furnace is built up of a. suitable refractory which an integral of my implaced upon. a body or framework 9 'provided forthat purpose. The framework 9 is mounted on wheeled trucks 10, the wheels of which travel on the track rails 12 passin lengthwise through'the furnace-2 so that the bottom. of the furnace is movable into. and out of the furnace chamber. A series of these removable bottoms preferably are employedin carrying out my improved method.

Inca ingout the steps of my improved method, t prepared b building a wall 13 along the marginal e ges of its top surface so as to rm a rectangular inclosure. clays, stone or rick, or other material having heat resistin qualities equal to those of ,the materials to e treated are employed in building .this marginal wall 13 on the furnace bottom 8. A layer of the ore, flue dust, mill scale or other finely divided material is then spread over the furnace bottom within the inclosure formed by the marginal wall 13, the material used preferably bemg of the -same com osition as that to be sintered. The layer of Enely divided material is made' of such thickness that the material will not stick to the refractory. bottom, the thickness of this layer being suflicient to prevent its being entirely heated to a plastic state. The furnace bottom, after preparation in this manner, is then moved into the furnace 2. into the position shown in the drawings, "and the sliding doors 14 provided on the ends of the furnace are lowered to close the openings in the ends of the furnace. The burners 3 are thenignited and the top surface of the furnace ottom 8 is thoroughly heated to the desired temperature after which the sintering operation is begun. A stream of finely divided ore or other materials being sintered is then caused to flow into the furnace, the materials easing through the opening 6 in the top of t e furnace and, upon entering the, furnace, bein deposited and s read over the furnace bottom in regulated quantities.

The 'sheet or stream of finely divided solids is brought into intimate contact with the highly heated products of combustion withinthe furnacein falli from the opening in the furnace roof to t e top surface of vthe furnace bottom. The materials are caused to become heated sufiiciently to become soft or plastic so as to partly fuse and stick together.

material 8 which is e movable furnace bottom is'first- Refractory.

" tom of the furnace within the furnace are I spread over the surface of the furnace boters 3 are partly closed or are shut off.

tom by means of a rabble or other suitable tool, the tool being inserted in the openings provided for that purpose in the doors used in closing the ends of the furnace so as to distribute the materials in a layer of approximately even thickness over the furnace bottom.

By feeding regulated quantities of the materials .in the furnace in a sheet or stream, a layer of sintered material of gradually increasing and agglomerated on the removable furnace bottom.. After this mass has been built up to the desired height or thickness, the bug:-

e furnace doors 14 are then opened and the furnace bottom 8 with'the mass of partly fused or sintered material thereon is removed from the furnace. Another similar furnace bottom is then placed within the furnace, the bottom having been prepared in the meantime as described hereinbefore, and the above described sintering operation is then repeatedywith a further supply of materials. The agglomerated materials,

after being removed from thefurnace, are

allowed to cool until they are at the temperature best adapted to facilitate breakage into smaller lumps or pieces' The mass is then lifted from the framework of the furnace bottom and is broken up into pieces of thesize desired for use, in being charged into a blast or other furnace, in which it is to be utilized, or other use for which the sintered material is intended. If care is taken during such cooling operations to,

break the material into lumps or pieces while it is at a red heat and when the treated material does not have its. greatest strength, very little difliculty will be had in breaking up the material into as small pieces apparent to those skilled rials to pass tity as is necessary or desirable, and the labor required and expense involved in breaking into pieces of the desired size will be lessened.

my invention will be in the art. By introducing'the materials gradually and in regulated quantities and causing the mate'- through the zone of greatest heat within the furnace in falling from the roof to the furnace bottom, instead of heat-' inga ile of thematerials, the time required in agg omerating or sintering a given quanof the. materials is greatly lessened, the expense connected therewith is reduced, and a body of semi-fused materials is quickly formed. By then subjecting the cooling mass to a series of blows at the time the mass has cooled sufiic'ently to lose its pasty or plastic condition and while it is still at a temperature approximating a red heat, the

The advantages of so-formed mass is readily broken in pieces.

thickness is built up.

the material on the bottom of of suitable size for handling when found necessary or desirable.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the furnaces in which my improved method can be carried out will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

furnace having a removable top maybe employed, a regenerative. furnace can be used instead of the reverberatory furnace shown, and other changes may be made without departing from my inventionv as defined in the claims.

While theinvention is primarily intended for use in sintering finely divided iron bearing materials such as ore,'flue-dust, and mill scale, the invention is not to be restricted to any such use, but is intended to cover the sintering and agglomerating of finely divided solids generally within the scope of the a pended claims.

1. The method of sintering finely divided materials consisting in heating a layer of the material on the bottom of/a sintering furnace to at least partly fuse the exposed surface thereof, directing a stream of fresh materials over the partly fused materials, and

regulating the flowof the stream to permit the successive additions to become heated and thereby agglomerate with the materials on the furnace bottom,

and removing the furnace bottom with the agglomerated materials thereon at intervals from the furnace.

2. The method of sintering finely divided materials consisting in spreading a layer of a sintering furnace, applying heat to at least partly fuse the exposed surface of the materials, adding fresh materials in a stream and spreading the additions over the partly fused materials on the furnace bottom, regulatingthe flow of-the stream to permit the flowing stream to become heate as delivered into the furnace and thereby agglomerate with the material on the furnace bottom and removing the furnace bottom with the agglomerated materials thereon at intervals from the furnace.-

3. The method of sintering finely divided materials consisting in heating and at least partly fusing a layer of the materials on the bottom of a sintering. furnace, adding fresh materials in a stream, to the partly fused,

materials on the furnace bottom, regulating the flow of the stream of added material to permit heating thereof while passing through the furnace, removing the a glomerated furnace bottom and mass 1: ereon from the furnace at intervals, and cooling and breaking the removed mass into ieoes.

4; The method of sintering finely divided materials consisting in heating and at least partly fusing a layer of the materials on the bottom of a sintering furnace, directing a stream of fresh materials to flow into the 5. The method of sintering finely divided furnace, regulating the flow of the stream to permit heating thereof while passing through the furnace and thereby agglomerate with the materials upon the furnace 5 bottom, removin the furnace bottom with the agglomeraterf materials thereon at intervals from the furnace, cooling the removed mass and breaking the cooling mass into pieces.

furnace'bottom, regulating the flow of the stream of added materials to permit artial fusion thereof while passing throu the furnace and thereby agglomerate with the materials, on the furnace-bottom, removing the bottom from the furnace at intervals, removing the mass from the furnace bottom, and breaking the mass into pieces. 7. The method of sintering finely divided 40 materials consisting in spreadin a layer of the materials on the removable bottom of a sintering furnace, placin the bottom in the furnace, heating and at east partly fusing the materials, adding a stream of fresh materials and spreading the additions over the furnace bottom, regulating the flow of the stream of added materials to permit partial fusion thereof while passing through the furnace and therebyagglomerate with the materials on the furnace bottom with the agglomerated materials thereon, removing the bottom from the furnace at intervals, cooling the agglomerated mass and break ing the mass into pieces during the cooling 66 operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set materlals consisting in spreadin a layer of the materials on the removable bottom 'of a sintering furnace, placin the bottom in the furnace, heating and at east partly fusing 1 the materials, adding a stream of fresh materials and spreading the additions over the furnace bottom, regulating the flow of the stream of added materials, to permit partial fusion thereof while passing through the furnace and thereby agglomeratethe materials on the furnace bottom, removing the bottom with the agglomerated materials thereon from the furnace at intervals, and removing the mass from the furnace bottom.

25 6. The method of sinteringfinely divided "materials consisting in spreadin a layer of the materials on the removable ttom of a my hand. sintering furnace, placin the bottom in the JAMES G. WEST, J12. furnace, heating and at east partly fusing Witnesses:

EDMUND D. N uoan'r,

30 the materials, adding a stream of fresh ma- Oms. J. Sermon.

terials and spreading the additions over the 

